With the advent of the physical fitness boom, weight lifting machines of all shapes and sizes appeared on the market. Unfortunately, each machine typically provides for a very limited range of exercises, requiring several machines to accomplish a full workout.
Various means of resistance have been employed in the many different types of prior art weight lifting machines. Hydraulic and pneumatic resistance, as well as cable supported lead weight resistance have been employed, with the traditional lead weight resistance machines exhibiting greater durability. In lead weight-type machines the weight stack is usually suspended from a cable and structure is provided for incrementally adjusting the amount of weight being lifted. Typically, the cable is configured over a series of pulleys for extension and retraction in a single direction. Therefore, movement of the weight lifting bar or lever connected to the opposite end of the lift cable is restricted to a particular range or direction of movement, thereby requiring several different machines to complete a full body workout.
The compact weight lifting machine of the present invention overcomes the foregoing limitations and restrictions by providing a lift bar pivotally mounted on a frame and adjustably mounted for upward or downward movement. The lift bar is operably connected to a pivot arm mounted for pivotal movement between parallel upper and lower pulley supporting arms having pulleys mounted thereon to define the path of a lift cable. Restraining members allow movement of one arm at a time, but are anchored to limit pivotal movement toward the other arm, resulting in bidirectional activation of the lift cable by the lift bar.
The lift cable extends beyond the pulleys for actuation by additional lift members. A fully adjustable seat assembly is positioned under the lift bar, and the lift cable extends under the seat assembly. A leg actuated lift member is located at one end of the seat assembly and is adjustably positionable for sitting or reclining actuation. A butterfly lift member is located at the opposite end of the seat assembly.